In a rare moment, my father's eyes lit up like fireworks. All it took was a mention of a getaway to Pensacola Beach, and my father – the typical strong and silent type, the pilot who flew helicopters for the Marine Corps in Vietnam – was absolutely delighted.

Among all its charms, Pensacola Beach is the cradle of Naval aviation. NAS Pensacola, as it's called by those who know (and Naval Air Station Pensacola by those who don't), is where my father learned to fly planes and where my brother learned to fix them as an Air Force Crew Chief.

So, it wasn't long before my Dad had his trusted Hobie Cat sailboat tacked to the back of a borrowed truck. With enough scuba gear to satisfy a Navy SEAL and a cooler full of sandwiches (because my Dad DOESN'T stop) stacked in the cab, we were off to the beach.

Pensacola anchors Florida's scenic northwest edge. The unspoiled shore flanks the city with barrier islands – Perdido Key Beach to the west and Pensacola Beach to the east – but reminders of its colorful Spanish heritage are never far away.

A Colorful Past and Present

Any trip taken with my Dad promises intrigue, history and adventure – all qualities that the Pensacola Bay Area possesses. We left before dawn and it was truly an indulgence to watch the sunrise. As we neared the coast, I relished the sweet shift in scent from scrubby pines to refreshing salt-infused air.

With the windows rolled down, I lounged in the passenger seat as Dad told me about Pensacola (whose name comes from a Native American word for "long-haired"). It's a coastal town full of culture, packed with opportunities for outdoor adventure and hemmed in by 52 miles of largely untouched beach.

Pensacola's narrative reaches back in history, past its celebrated modern military heritage, to a time of Spanish galleons, famous explorers and new settlements. It was the first European settlement in the continental United States and has been under the possession of the Spanish, French, British and the Confederate States. It has even been the capital of Florida.

Today, Pensacola anchors Florida's scenic northwest edge. The unspoiled shore flanks the city with barrier islands – Perdido Key Beach to the west and Pensacola Beach to the east – but reminders of its colorful Spanish heritage are never far away. The blossoming, tree-filled Seville Historic District, for example, is one of the oldest and most pristine historic enclaves in Florida. It is home to Old Christ Church, built in 1832, and St. Michael's Cemetery, deeded to the city of Pensacola by the King of Spain in 1822.


Nature of the Beach

Pensacola is not only a wonderful mix of heritage and progress – it's also an eco-tourist's dream. Perdido Key, Spanish for "Lost Island" is a celebrated beach, and the beauty of the ecology is certainly not lost on the laidback locals.

Nor is it lost on Dr. Beach, the environmental scientist who has rated Perdido Key in the top 20 beaches in the nation. Gulf Islands National Seashore and the State of Florida protect much of the barrier island that is Perdido Key. So we were probably seeing the beach as Hernando De Soto saw it.

While trudging our scuba gear to the beachfront in preparation for a drift dive, Dad and I stumbled on what looked like a giant ball of twine. It was a "hurricane knot" – formed by island winds churning debris in the ocean and weaving sticks, vegetation, leaves, sea oats, crab legs, shells, and egg cases into a tangled ball. It was a tiny, teeming microcosm of the island itself.

The lightning whelk is another great  – and more collectible – find on the singing sands (called that because the grains are so fine they squeak underfoot). Cream colored with burnt orange stripes, it's easily identified by the opening on the left side of its shell. (Most other whelks open on the right.)

My Dad and I found that there was plenty to do below and above the sea. After a day of diving, we visited Gulf Islands National Seashore at Fort Pickens (about 7 miles west of Pensacola Beach). In the 1880s Geronimo was a prisoner there, but today this area is a refuge for Great Blue Herons, woodpeckers and shore birds.

I would've liked to visit the Big Lagoon State Park, which offers water and nature related activities on the Intracoastal Waterway, but there's always next time. This part of Florida is a hidden treasure I'll be sure to revisit.

For more information on planning your own beach getaway to the Pensacola Bay Area, contact the Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-874-1234 or go to www.visitpensacola.com.